Lighter for gas stoves



June 14, 1938. l. A. MCSHERRY 2,120,841

LIGHTER FOR GAS STOVES Fil-ed April 18, 1936 0 78 j /0 Z o f MmmfmmmPatented June'v14, 15938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTER FOR. GASSTOVES Ignatius A. McSherry, St. Paul, Minn. Application April 18, 1936,Serial No. 75,109 z claims. '(01. 17a- 115) This invention relates toelectrical lighters and lighting systems for gas burning devices such asstoves and other devices and particularly for such devices which embodya plurality of burners positioned in compact relationship.

It is an obje'ct of my invention to provide a simple but highly emcientelectrical lighting system for gasy stoves and the like which may bemanufactured at relatively low cost, which requires no adjustment andcannot get out of order and which may be easily installed inconventional gas stoves and the like now in use as well as be embodiedin the commercial stoves during the manufacturethereof.

More particularly it is an object to provide an electrical lighter forgas stoves wherein incandescent electrical igniting elements areemployed of the type which become incandescent when the electricalcircuit is closed and wherein such igniting elements are disposed inposition 'to be con-v tacted by gas escaping from one or more of theorifices in the burner thereby eliminating the uncertainty of lightingnow prevalent with many of the lighting systems now utilized andeliminating to a large extent danger of explosion and accumulation ofgas.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view showing an embodiment of myinvention applied to four burners of a gas cooking stove, and

Fig. 2 is a view mostly in vertical section taken approximately alongthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1.v

In the form of the invention illustrated my improved lighting system isapplied to four gas burners B of a cooking stove, which burners have theusual circumferentially spaced gas outlets or orifices O, portions ofthe burners shown in Fig. 1 being arranged symmetrically as is the usualcase in gas stove construction. While the invention is illustrated asapplied to the top burners of the stove, it is, of course, equallyapplicable for lighting the oven burner.

In the form of the invention illustrated I provide a central supportingmember I of any suitable nature, as shown being in the form of a shallowcylindrical casing which may be constructed of dielectric material andhaving a removable top plate 4a. A series of shielding members 5, onefor each burner, is supported from theperipheralwallofcasinglandushowmareln the form of tubular memberspreferably, though not necessarily, constructed of heat insulating anddielectric material, such as porcelain or asbestos fibre and have theirinner ends threaded or otherwise rigidly secured to the casing 4, and incommunication with the interior thereof. The outer ends of the severaltubes 5 terminate at points above the corresponding burners B and atpoints immediately adjacent one or more of the orifices O of saidburners. The outerv ends of said tubular members may be somewhat flaredand provided, if desired, with recessed lower portions 5a to facilitateimpingement of gas discharged from the adjacent orifices upon thelighting or ignition elements 6 disposed therein.

The lighting elements 6 are in the form of conventional electricalheating elements capable, upon being electrically energized, ofobtaining a temperature adequate to ignite the gas burned in the stoveorother device. zo

The extremity of each of the lighting elements 6 extends at least to theend of its shielding tube 5 and directly above the recessed portion 5aat the lower part of the tube extremity. Service wires 'i and 8, asshown, extend through each of the shielding tubes 5 electricallyconnecting the respective lighting elements 6 with a pair of electricalterminals 9 and i0 which are mounted in the bottom of the dielectriccasing l. The terminals 9 and i0 are connected with a source ofelectricity and a switch S is interposed in the electrical circuit,preferably being of the buttonl type, which is urged, by spring or othermeans, to 'normally maintain an open position.

In the form of the invention shown I provide the end of each of theshielding tubes with a small deecting plate II which projects from theouter end thereof above the heating element and adjacent orifices of theburner serving to assist in .deilecting discharged gas against the outerend of the lighting element. 'Ihis plate may be of metal which willadequately resist heat and flame or may be constructed of suitablenoncombustible material. l

In operation when it is desired to light one or more of the burners,switch S is closed, preferably before turning on the gas to the burnersand immediately thereafter the burner valve is opened, the severalelectrical lighting elements being by that.time in incandescentcondition. The discharged gas from the orifices adjacent the lightingelement lmpinges against the corresponding lighting element beingdischarged adjacent the element and thegas from that orifice and theadjacent orifices of the burner is instantly ignited. 55

lmpingement ci the said gas against the lighting element is assisted bythe over-hanging construction or" the shielding member, including therecessed portion da formed in the under side of the tube extremity aswell as the deiiectlng plate lll.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that l have provided asimple but highly emcient lighting system for gas stoves or otherdevices embodying one or more gas burners which is posi tive in nature,cannot get out of adjustment and which may be readily installed inconventional gas stoves now in use.

it will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated,consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above setforth, and in the novel parts and combinations o parts disclosed anddefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed iszl. The combination with a plurality of gas burnershaving upwardly extending burner oririces, a lighter comprising a rigidsupporting and housing member mounted intermediately of said burners,electrical terminals housed therein and connected with a source ofelectrical current, a rigid tubular shielding member for each burnerconstructed of non-combustible material and rigidly secured at its innerend to said supporting member and wholly supported thereby, each oi saidtubular shielding members terminating above seid burner at a pointsomewhat out o amasar alignment with one of said burner orifices, anelectric lighting element mounted within the outer portion of saidtubular member and terminating adjacent the outer open extremity of saidtubular shielding member, and service wires con-- nected with saidelectric lighting element and disposed within said tubular member andconnected with said electrical terminals within said supporting andhousing member.

2. Lighting mechanism for e. gas burner of the type havinga series ofupwardly extending burner orices comprising a rigid supporting andhousing member spaced some distance from said burner, electric terminalshoused in said member and connected with a source of electrical current,a rigid tubular shielding member constructed of non-combustible materialsecured rigidly at its inner end to said supporting member and whollysupported thereby and having its outer and free end disposed above saidburner and terminating at a point somewhat out of alignment with one ofsaid burner orifices, an electric lighting element mounted within theouter portion of said tubular shielding member and terminating closelyadjacent to the outer open extremity of said tubular member, the tubularextremity of said shielding member being recessed at its lower portionto facilitate impingement of gas from said crice against said electriclighting element, and service wires connecting said electric lightingelement with said electric terminals and being disposed within saidtubular shielding member.

L'GNATEUS A. MCSl-IERRY.

